Kevin Bona remembers what it was like to work on nonunion jobsites. He showed up day after day and questioned the unsafe working conditions and whether it was worth the low pay he was getting. Once Kevin learned that he had his first child on the way, he knew something had to change. It was more important than ever to come home safe and with a livable wage in his pocket.
Kevin took the leap and signed up to be an apprentice with the Carpenters’ Union. Through the guidance he got from a mentor at the Union Hall, Kevin found himself working on his first gig for DPR Construction. Since then, life as a member of Local 619 has been good to Kevin and he has the stability to comfortably support his family. Kevin journeyed out last year and it meant the world to him seeing how proud his family was. ”After I received my certificate, my mom told me that she was proud of me and what I’ve become.”
Just like the Carpenters that helped him when he first started, Kevin is now paying it forward by mentoring his own apprentices.
Watch the video above to learn more about Kevin’s story.
Visit SWMSBuildsBetter.com to learn more about the how are Carpenters are Building Better.